Peanut Butter Lollipops
by Douzuki Soulpower
Summary: Rancis Fluggerbutter was always a vain, serious sugarcube, but he soon begins to develop feelings for the 2nd best racer in Sugar Rush that he never noticed were already present from the beginning. When these emotions come to a boil, he will prove to her just how serious he is about winning her heart. RancisxTaffyta
1. Chapter 1: Remembering before a Rescue

**S'up, reada's?**

**So, here's the origin: I saw the movie Wreck-it Ralph just about a week ago. Let me tell you; it was beyond awesome; 5 out of 5 stars, hands down. So why not use it as a catalyst to improve what relatively small, budding writing experience I have?**

**I'm also proud to be the first author to ship the couple of Rancis and Taffyta! :)**

**This fanfic takes place after the movie, so there will be spoilers. If you haven't already, I STRONGLY suggest you do not proceed to read this until you've seen it.**

**Disclaimer: As much as I think the movie was too good for them, Disney owns Wreck-it Ralph, not me.**

**Chapter 1: Remembering before a Rescue**

"Face it, Taffy; You couldn't beat King Candy in a race, so how can you beat your President?"

"I told you, you only won because of that glitchy teleporting! It's SO unfair!"

It was a usual day after hours in the sweet world of Sugar Rush. Vanellope von Schweetz, the reigning princess, or president as she preferred to be addressed as, had earned first place in yet another Random Roster Race, thanks mostly in part to her teleport-like "glitch" ability. She was being confronted by a frustrated Taffyta Muttonfudge, the nearly undisputed best racer in the entire game...next to Vanellope, that is. While they did make amends & create a mutual friendship after the near-destruction of the game & the entire arcade, what also sparked that day was a fierce rivalry between them.

While Vanellope gloated & Taffyta scolded, a blonde boy in a brown blazer jacket was seated on the hood of his chocolate kart, watching them with a rare feeling of amusement. His blue eyes were focused mainly on the girl in pink with the strawberry-themed hat. He would only occasionally notice that he made sure every moment he spent around her, even the time that was used in bullying Vanellope & preventing her from racing before her true identity was remembered, was cherished & savoured...and he didn't know why.

"Hi, Rancis!"

The blonde boy turned his head to see a familiar flame lit on a candle atop a bright eyed girl's head.

"Hello, Candlehead." The boy said with a nonchalant tone, then returned his attention to the bickering rivals.

"Those two are fighting again? This is fourth race in a row!'

"Yeah. It is, isn't it?"

"What's the matter? You're acting weird."

"I don't know what you mean."

"I mean you seem...different." She narrowed her eyes. "I saw you. At this race's start _and_ end, you sure weren't acting like the super-serious, stick-in-the-fudge Rancis Fluggerbutter I know."

Rancis let out a sigh. He knew he was seen by the other racers as a quiet kid with a serious, get-to-the-point personality, & this was reflected in his skilled racing style. But when he thought about it, he had to admit he was not his usual, focused self on the track that day.

Not averting his gaze from Taffyta, Rancis reminisced about what had happened during the day's race.

* * *

After tossing his gold coin into the grand trophy, Rancis hurried to his beloved cruiser of chocolate; the Kit Kart. He hopped behind the wheel, donned his chocolate brown & caramel tan racing helmet, & looked at himself in his rear-veiw mirror. He tried to make it look vain in order to mask the fact that he would do this sometimes to give himself a confidence boost. Of course, while his I-mean-business attitude was clear to everyone who caught of it on his face, even he needed a small push in self-esteem at times to urge himself to race the absolute best he could everytime.

He just took another quick glance at the mirror when something caught his eye; Taffyta had just boarded her own kart, the Pink Lightning, just behind him. When she removed her hat to make room for her pink strawberry racing helmet emblazoned with glitter, her short, platinum-blonde hair fluttered with the breeze. Rancis felt his heart skip a beat & cheeks redden when he saw that. In all the years he interacted & raced with her, he had never seen her without any kind of headwear. Even when her hair was once again concealed, he found himself unable to avert his awestruck stare away from her image's face in his mirror. In fact, it wasn't until he heard the announcer shout "GO!" and the loud revving of the speeding karts that he snapped out of his trance.

Rancis' poor start left him in near last place. Regardless, he too, was speeding down the track to make up for lost time.

On the home stretch of the final lap, Rancis managed to retake 3rd place behind Taffyta and Vanellope. With a fortunate Ice Cream Cannon ready and mounted on his kart's rear, he inched closer to Taffyta's kart. However, once he was within range, a twinge of affection halted his finger just over the fire button. Competitiveness was one trait that Taffyta had Vanellope beat in, and Rancis was well aware of that. Not having the heart to potentially humiliate his best friend, he returned his hand to the steering wheel, convinced that his decision earned Taffyta her continued friendship with both him & Vanellope as he came towards the finish line.

* * *

"I don't know what came over me." Rancis responded to Candlehead when he returned to reality. "My head just wasn't in the game or something."

"But Rancis, your head's always in the game, just like the rest of you! Hey, that makes me wonder; when did your head ever leave Sugar Rush? Even more strange, how did it come back?"

Rancis couldn't help but chuckle. Candlehead's cheerful naiveté was a total contrast to his determined seriousness. He wondered how such polar opposites could be such good friends. Then again, they were together when their game was first plugged in, so how could they not be?

"That's what I like about you, Candlehead: You can always find a way to make even a 'stick-in-the-fudge' like me laugh once in a while." he remarked, earning a big smile from the candle lover.

With the race over & the roster chosen, the racers prepared to drive home.

"I'm telling you Schweetz, one of these days, you'll eat my crumbs." warned Taffyta as she boarded her kart.

"Yeah, right... when taffy turns to sugarless gum!" Vanellope laughed as she drove off towards her castle. Taffyta was enraged by Vanellope's insult to her own name. "Somehow, someway... I'm gonna beat you, Vanellope...Just you wait." She growled under her breath shaking a fist. She shifted her kart to its highest gear & zoomed away.

Rancis kept his eyes on her figure until it disappeared, until he noticed Candlehead eyeing him with a smug expression. "...What?"

"You like Taffyta, don't you, Rancy?"

"Excuse me?"

"You like her! She's the apple of your eye! Or maybe she's the strawberry of your eye."

"Um...Candlehead, I don't think I understand..." Rancis was getting nervous, slowly realizing what his candle-hatted companion was getting at.

She could tell by seeing the sweat beads budding on his forehead that it was true. "You DO like her! You LOVE her!"

"That's ridiculous!"

"You love her! Admit it!"

"I have nothing to admit!" He turned his head away and crossed him arms, trying to hide his flushing cheeks.

"Yeah, you do! Fess up!...If you don't, I'll just tell her my-"

Suddenly, a distant cry for help was heard. Rancis immediately recognized it as Taffyta's voice. He hopped into his ride and was off, leaving behind a confused Candlehead. "So, you're gonna tell her yourself, then?!" she called after him.

As Rancis drove, Taffyta's pleas for help grew louder. His level of worry increased with each of her cries. Soon, his kart came to a swerving halt at the edge of a swamp of taffy.

"Help me!" Taffyta pleaded. She had spun out from driving too fast over a stray soda slick, and was now stranded on her sinking kart. Rancis knew she would surely drown without help. Although, why should he care? Even if she did perish, she was in her native game, and would be regenerated as usual. But something within Rancis urged him to save her, even with the fact she would be alright either way.

Thinking quickly, Rancis rushed to the edge of the pond, removed the chocolate cup from his head and extended it to Taffyta. "Grab this!" he ordered.

Taffyta jumped. She landed in the sticky taffy, but was able to grip Rancis' makeshift life-preserver. Rancis summoned all the strength he could to pull Taffyta to the safety of solid ground. "Okay; you're safe now."

The white-haired girl was covered up to her arms in sticky taffy, but was spared a regeneration. She rose to her feet, speechless at Rancis' selfless heroism. "...Thank you...Thank you so much, Rancis!" she smiled. But her joy quickly turned to sorrow when she saw her beloved Pink Lightning sink to the bottom of the bog.

"No! My...My kart..." She quickly broke into tears. "What will I do now? Without a kart, there's no way I'll be able to get to the kart factory before the arcade opens! I'll have to forfiet my place in the roster!" Her sobbing grew more intense when she realized her situation. However, she instantly calmed down when she felt the palm of a hand on her taffy covered back. "R-Rancis? Wh-What do want?"

"Don't worry, Taffyta. I''ll make sure you can race tommorow."

"...How?"

"You can ride in my kart: I'll drive you to the kart factory myself."

Renewed hope shone in Taffyta's eyes. "Really?...Y-You'd do that for me?..."

"Yes, I would. You're the best friend I know, Taffy. It's the least I can do."

With that, Rancis led her to his vehicle. Since the karts were designed for single riders, Taffyta had to sit right behind Rancis at the wheel.

"Hold on tight." Rancis said.

Taffyta wrapped her arms around Rancis' midsection, causing him to blush deeply. She also rested her head on his back, making him blush even more. He was glad Taffyta couldn't see his strawberry red face under his racing helmet. He shifted gears and they were on their way.

**Do you like it? Tell me! TELL ME! Remember, I'm a paranoid author. Review, Please? **


	2. Chapter 2: Kart Baking Bonding

**Whassup, guys?**

**Thank you all for your reviews! I really needed that confidence boost.**

**Err...I don't remember much from the kart bakery scene of the movie. Sorry for any mistakes in the kart baking process I might make there...**

**Just in case, I should clarify: According to their respective character bios on the official Wreck-it Ralph website, Rancis is rather concieted & Taffyta is somewhat arrogant. (That's how I interpreted the bios. They sound like a perfect match, don't they? ^-^) So, to show my unyeilding support for the movie, I'm going to do my best to maintain a balance between their respective traits & their affection towards each other to keep them in character.**

**Chapter 2: Kart-Bakery Bonding**

Rancis turned his rear-view mirror as he drove across the sugary plains. His reflection returned his suave look of confidence. He turned it a little more, making him feel warm and fuzzy inside when he saw Taffyta nestling her head on his back. He didn't understand the emotions he was feeling whenever he was around Taffyta, having never felt them so intensely before, but he enjoyed them nonetheless.

"You didn't have to do that, you know." Taffyta said, still hugging Rancis.

"Do what?" Rancis asked, already knowing the answer.

"You know, save me from drowning...I would've just regenerated anyway, but you still helped me. You didn't have to do that."

"...I know. I just...It was the right thing to do, alright? You're my best friend, & it would've been heartless of me to just leave you like that."

"Yeah, I guess you're right...Thanks again."

Shortly after, they arrived at the kart bakery entry gate.

"Names?" The security guard in the entry booth asked.

"Rancis Fluggerbutter & Taffyta Muttonfudge." Rancis said, removing his helmet. "We've got a kart emergency, & we need to bake a new kart." Rancis gestured to the girl riding behind him, making her turn her head away in embarrassment. Rancis handed the guard the chocolate peanut butter cup from his head for authentication. He inspected it, sniffed it, & even licked it a few times.

"...Tastes legit, I'll let you pass." The gate-keeper raised the gate with the push of a button. Rancis took back his cup and placed it beside him. He didn't want to put it back on his head after it got licked by a random security guard he didn't know. He pulled over near the door to the bakery.

They left the kart and Rancis helped Taffyta brush off all the sticky syrup from her dip in the swamp. Afterward, Rancis held the bakery door for her, like a little gentleman. Taffyta was unimpressed, but smiled to him anyway as he followed her inside.

As they went into the baking chamber, Nostalgia washed over them when they entered the kart baking room. They remembered the time their game was first plugged in, with each racer in Sugar Rush individually baking their own karts according to their own styles, tastes, & personalities. Taffyta hung her head in sadness when she recalled the completion of the Pink Lightning. She had put her heart and code into that kart. Now, it was stuck beneath the surface of a lake of molasses, never to race again. In her mind, no kart they could bake could compare to the original Pink Lightning.

"Hey, Racers!" The recorded announcer's voice disrupted Taffyta's train of thought. "Are you ready to make your very own racing kart?"

"Well, it's _your _kart we're baking; so you should do the honors." suggested Rancis.

"First, choose your ingredients!"

Taffyta went up to the sorting control panel. Rancis, wiping off his peanut butter filled headpiece, watched as she expertly controlled the lever to guide the mix ingredients into her bowl on one side of the sorting rolling-pin, & the trash items in the garbage can on the other side. Taffyta's sorting was nearly flawless, only letting one trash item slip into the bowl. Her skill impressed Rancis, but not by much: He was sure he could do just as well if tried, if not better.

When the mixing was finished, Taffyta approached it & grabbed a handful of strawberry flavored lollipops from her jacket to give the batter her own Muttonfudge taste. She was prepared to toss them in the mix until she noticed Rancis about to do the same with a handful of small chocolate cups.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Taffyta demanded, glaring at the blonde boy.

"Uh...I just thought I'd add a little Fluggerbutter touch to it?...Unless you don't like chocolate..."

Taffyta face softened & she thought for a moment. While she loved lollipops more than any other sweet, she did have some appreciation for chocolate. She also naturally felt she owed Rancis for saving her life. Not to mention that if weren't for his kindness, she wouldn't be here in time to make the kart before opening time at the arcade. Letting him add his own minor taste to her new kart was the least she could do.

"...Go ahead." She said with a sigh.

Rancis smiled tossing his chocolate chips into the mixing bowl along with Taffyta's lollipops.

As the conveyor belt moved the bowl into the large oven, The batter swirled the two ingredients together into a pink, brown, & tan swirl. Tafftyta ran to the large button on the floor labeled "Heat".

"Next, bake your kart to perfect temperature!" The recorded voice instructed.

A bell rang and the oven turned on. Taffyta jumped in place on the button as fast as she could, but try as she might, the temperature meter would rise no higher than the halfway point between "Too Cold" & "Just Right".

"Allow me to help." Rancis offered, proceeding to stand on the button as well. Rancis timed his jumping to alternate with Taffyta's, steadily raising the meter to "Just Right".

"Perfect!" The voice shouted suddenly as the oven turned off. The two racers took a moment to catch their breath. Rancis only needed to see Taffyta's beaming face to know she was thankful for his help.

"Finally, add the finishing touches!" The recorded voice boomed again.

Taffyta got to work adding her favorite lollipops, mostly of the strawberry flavor, into the concoction. The bowl finally moved into the last oven. Through its window, Taffyta could excitedly see the silhouette of the batter taking form of a sleek automobile.

"congratulations! Your new kart is ready to race! Have fun, and stay sweet!"

The vault doors opened, & down the ramp rolled their confectionary creation. Its chassis was identical to the original Pink Lightning, with the white designs being a light brown instead of white. Chocolate chips were in the center of the hubs of the wheels. It had even obtained a smooth peanut butter filling thanks to Rancis' contribution.

"Wow..." Taffyta marveled at her new vehicle. It was just like her old one, but with unique style (and scent) to it. "I...I love it!" She spontaneously hugged Rancis and whirled him around, making him blush. "Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU, Rancis! I don't know what I would've done without you!"

"Shucks; for a guy as sweet as me, it was nothing."

"No, it was totally something! If you hadn't helped me bake, my new kart would've been a floppy mess! Hey, I wouldn't even be here baking it at all if you didn't save me from drowning! And...and...thank you,...just, thank you so much...

"...You're welcome." Rancis couldn't deny her gratitude any longer. Although, he pondered Taffya's behavior just then: She was showing an unusually high level of gratitude for her normally fierce, narcissist personality. "No one else would, so I had to help a friend in need."

"That reminds me." She suddenly ended her hug, only to forcefully grab and pull Rancis' close to her by his jacket, eyes glaring dead into Rancis' fearful ones. "You better not tell ANYONE about how I lost my old kart, especially not Vanellope. If you do, so help me, there wont be enough peanut butter in that hat of yours, your kart, or even YOU to make a cupcake out of when I'm done with you! Understand?!"

"Yes, yes; I get it!" Rancis panicked and sighed after Taffyta released him. There was the ego-driven Taffyta he remembered.

"Let me try it out!" Taffyta eagerly got behind the wheel, taking in its aroma of strawberry, fudge, & peanuts mixed into one. She put on her helmet, & shifted gear. She turned to Rancis & looked at him. "Well?"

"What?" Rancis tilted his head in confusion.

"Go get in your kart and drive with me!"

"Why? Where are were going?"

"Who cares? Just go and meet me outside the bakery!" With that, Taffyta drove her new ride out of the factory.

Rancis just stood there, still confused. Why would they need their karts if it wasn't to compete in a race or get home, and what destination did Taffyta have in mind? Rancis, as bright as he was, didn't have a clue. Still, he trusted Taffyta, & headed to his chocolate cup kart. He put on his helmet, looked in his mirror to give himself a conceited confidence jumpstart, & cruised towards the pink figure waving to him.

**This was a good chapter, right? More is on the way! In fact, it's already here! Read on!**


	3. Chapter 3: Sweet & Sour Feelings

**Welcome back! How ya doin'?**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 3: Sweet & Sour Feelings**

Rancis was still trying to figure out where Taffyta wanted to go of all places as he cruised towards her. No matter how much he thought about it, his mind found no practical answer.

He fixed his confused face as he pulled alongside Taffyta's new Pink Lightning. "Okay, you got me out here; where are we going, exactly?"

"Well...I thought we could just go on a little trip to wherever together."

"Um...What?" Rancis tilted his head in confusion.

Taffyta looked annoyed. "Don't you ever just slow down & drive outside of a race sometimes?"

"Um...no, not really."

"Just come. It would make me happy."

Rancis just couldn't pass up a chance to make Taffyta smile. "Okay, let's go."

Taffyta then drove off, but Rancis stayed put, placed his fingers on his temples, deep in thought. The only time he would use the term 'drive' was in a race, & the speedway races were over for the day until the arcade opened. Where could she possibly want to drive to? Maybe she wanted to test its performance on the race track? Or maybe she-

"Yo, Fudge face!"

An impatient voice made Rancis lose his train of thought. He turned to see Taffyta a long distance away.

"Are you coming or are you just gonna waste your time polishing off your mirrors? I'm going with or without you, so see if you can catch up!" She drove away into the Candy Tree Forest. Not wanting to get left behind, Rancis shifted gear and roared after her.

Within the forest, Rancis slowed his kart to avoid crashing into any stray trees. Unfortunately, in doing so, he had lost sight of Taffyta.

Rancis came to a stop and leaped out of the driver's seat to the side of his kart. He stood and turned to all directions, but the trees were so dense, he couldn't see his strawberry flavored friend anywhere. "Hello? Taffyta?" He called. "Where are you? I still don't know what we're doing out here, but I hope it doesn't include getting lost!"

Suddenly, a loud, blaring noise from behind Rancis startled him. He yelped & whirled around, only to see that Taffyta had just blew her kart's horn, keeping her presence hidden behind his own kart. "You should see the look on your face right now!" she laughed, cruising into plain sight.

Rancis promptly removed his fearful expression. "That's not funny! You almost scared the sugar outta me." He pouted, clutching the part of his chest that housed his rapidly beating heart.

"Oh, come on!" She exited her kart & approached him. "I know you're a Mr. Serious Sprinkles, but you've gotta learn to laugh at yourself sometimes! I'm sorry for scaring you, but you looked so unaware, I couldn't resist. Can't you take at least _one_ joke?"

"But, that was really mean!"

Taffyta's narrow, cold stare let him know she could care less. Rancis tried his best to return the feelings of annoyance in retaliation, but for some reason, he couldn't stay mad at her.

"Okay, I guess it was kinda funny..." Rancis replied in defeat.

"Good." Taffyta's face beamed triumph. "It's getting late now, so we should go back home and get some sleep for tomorrow's races. But, there's one more thing I wanna do before we go to bed." She boarded her kart, pausing for a moment to gather her thoughts. "Get in your kart & follow me...if you're not tired of me, that is." She shifted gear & took off out of the forest without waiting for a response.

As he headed for his own kart, Rancis couldn't help but notice a change in Taffyta's behavior. At first, she was having fun at his expense, but then she seemed...sad, even depressed. Rancis took it upon himself to do whatever he could to cheer her up as he jumped in & drove away.

After some driving around, Rancis stopped near Taffyta's kart, parked with the driver missing. He then noticed Taffyta seated on the ground a distance away. He hopped off, and neared her. She seemed to barely notice him, her eyes half-closed, taking small licks of a lollipop.

Rancis glanced to his side, and saw they were near the edge of a cliff, offering a vast view over much of the world of Sugar Rush.

"Wow..." Rancis marveled. Diet Cola Mountain had never looked so appetizing. "This is beautiful..."

"Yeah, I know; It's a nice view. Sometimes, I come here and enjoy it just to make myself feel better."

"'Feel better'? Why?" The concerned boy took a seat next to her. "What's the matter?"

"...Nothing."

"It's something. Tell me what's wrong."

"I said it's nothing." She turned slightly away from him. "Leave me alone."

"Come on, I can tell you're depressed about something, I want to know what." Rancis' face grew stern, but he felt a little guilty about prying.

"For the last time, I can deal with my own problems." Her voice was starting to get tense. "Leave it at that, or I'll shove my lollipops down your throat all at once.

"You don't tell me what wrong with you, & I just might tell Vanellope about your little car accident."

"You wouldn't!" She quickly turned to face him, face filled with worry.

"I would, and you know what? I think I will." He got up, and turned to leave, but Taffyta grabbed his jacket, & threw him backward, causing him to stumble and fall flat on his back, his headpiece rolling away. Before Rancis could recover, Taffyta sat on his stomach and firmly held his wrists down, effectively leaving him pinned beneath her.

"Listen to me, Fluggerbutter!" Her death glare peered intensely into Rancis' eyes, fear filling his heart. "That little pest we call president already has enough bragging rights to her name to last until the end of time! I'm not gonna let you make my racing career any more miserable than it needs to be! If you even get the _idea _of blabbing to anybody, I'll throw you off this cliff right now before you can get the chance! And when you regenerate, I'm gonna run you-

"TAFFY!" Rancis' sudden outburst surprised & silenced Taffyta. "Calm down, I'm sorry. Actually, I wasn't going to tell anybody about...you know. I just...wanted you to be honest with me. You're my best friend, and I really care about you. I hate seeing you sad, and I want to help you feel better, but I can't do that if you don't let me know what's troubling you."

Taffyta was touched by his desire to help her. "...Fine." She softened her glare, then got up and released Rancis, letting him get to his feet & retrieve his peanut butter cup.

"Thanks." Rancis dusted himself off. "Now, did I hear you say your racing career was 'miserable'?"

"That's right." She hung her head low. "Sometimes, I don't even want to go to the races because it's too painful...But I have to, or we'll get unplugged..."

"It's Vanellope, isn't it?" Rancis put on a face of sympathy.

Taffyta started crying for the second time that day. "Yes,Yes!" She buried her face in her hands. "Oh, Rancis! She's so cruel! No what I do or whatever I try, her g-glitching is too powerful, and she beats me every time in every race we enter! And when she does, she gloats and insults me in my face! In fact, sometimes...sometimes...I wish she'd stayed a glitch! At least King Candy didn't brag & make me feel so sour!"

Looking at the ground, Rancis was unsure of what to do. He was surpised when Taffyta suddenly threw herself on him in a hug. Rancis hesitantly returned it, allowing her to spill her tears of turmoil onto his shoulder. They remained this way until Taffyta's wails receded into quiet sobs.

"Th-Thanks, Rancis." She rubbed her eye as she broke the hug.

"Don't mention it."

"Don't tell anyone I cried over this, or..." A hand over her mouth silenced her.

"Don't make me keep so many secrets. I know you have a high reputation to uphold, but that doesn't mean you have to hide your feelings." He wiped away some of her tears mixed with mascara.

"B-But, If Vanellope see me cry-"

"Forget about Vanellope! I know you're not a crybaby...mostly. But, just remember; I think you're an excellent racer. Maybe, just maybe," He looked away with an uneasy smile. "You might be a better racer than me. By a tiny margin." He finished quickly.

"...Okay...Here, I want you to have these." She placed in his hand some strawberry lollipops.

"Lollipops?"

"My favorites. Consider them a token of my thanks..." She blushed slightly. "For everything that's happened today."

"Sure thing. I'll keep them right beside me on my bed,...which is where we should be now." Rancis' face turned red when he realized what he just implied. "Er—I mean, where _I _should be, not you: You should be in your _own_ bed, and I should be in _my_ bed, and not in each _other's_ beds, because that would be-"

"Okay, I get it. Don't let your chocolate melt, Peanut head." She giggled.

They both hopped aboard their respective karts. They shared eye contact once more.

"Don't miss me too much!" Rancis said with a smug smile.

"You are so self-absorbed." She retorted playfully.

"I try. See ya, my sweet strawberry!"

Taffyta tensed with emotion upon being called by a pet name. She tried to think of one in return, but all that came out was "Bye bye, Peanut Puff." She covered her mouth in embarrassment. That sounded way too cheesy. With her face turning more pink than the strawberry hat on her head, she started her kart, & quickly drove away.

Rancis, blushing hard from his new pet name, looked in his mirror with a small smile. "You've done real good today, Fluggerbutter. But then again...when don't you?" He revved up his engine, his mind filling with thoughts of Taffyta as he went home.

**Another sweet chapter complete! Keep on reading!**


	4. Chapter 4: A Delicous & Depressing Dream

**This particular chapter can be considered an extra, as it doesn't do very much to advance the overall plot. I forget why exactly I added this, but feel free to skip this chapter if you'd like.**

**Chapter 4: A Delicious & Depressing Dream**

Rancis pulled the Kit Kart over next to his house. It was shaped like a giant chocolate chip. Going inside, he stopped to admire himself in his full-size mirror. He loved to just stand and stare at his reflection for a while after a long day of racing. It gave him the vain pride he was known for.

Before long, he was on his way upstairs to get ready for bed, which just included changing into some pajamas. Why not brush his teeth? Despite living in a land composed of nothing but sugary delights, he was a video game character, and therefore didn't need to worry about real world dental problems such as tooth decay.

He hung his blazer on the edge of his bed, took off his shoes, & snuggled under his peanut butter cup-wrapper covers. Before falling asleep, however, he stared blankly at the ceiling pondering the day's events. He had done some very out-of-character things that day, such as comforting a fellow racer & even being the deciding factor in that racer's eligibility to race the next day. All for what? A moral urge to help out in the name of common decency? Rancis had to assume that to be the answer, since he couldn't think of anything else it could be...except...

The fellow racer in particular was...Taffyta...

'Okay, that's enough.' he thought. 'Taffy's my best friend and all, even more so than Candlehead it seems, but she's been taking up way too much space in my mind all day today. All I did was a few courteous favors for her, and I'm sure she appreciates them, but knowing Taffyta, she's not gonna give me any special treatment or anything, & she'll probably just act like it was nothing special tomorrow.'

He didn't let this keep him awake for too long, and was soon fast asleep after calming his mind with a quiet statement.

"We're just good friends who look out for each other, and that's good enough for me."

* * *

"Rancis wins again!"

"He's so awesome!"

After just coming in 1st place of the Random Roster Race (even beating Vanellope & her glitching somehow), Rancis stood on the back fender of the Kit Kart, soaking in all the praise and glory. The racers cheering for him, the candy crowd chanting his name, it all gave him a smug smile he couldn't put away if he tried.

"Hey, Rancis!" A voice behind him called. Rancis turned to see the princess/president of Sugar Rush.

"What is it, Vanellope?"

"Come with us to Diet Cola Mountain; we've got a surprise for you!"

"A surprise? For me? Sweet!" Rancis hopped of his kart, only be swarmed, picked up and carried overhead by the adoring racers like the celebrity he wanted to be. He laid back on the bed of hands and sighed with content, soon becoming blissfully unaware that he was only dreaming.

A while later, they reached the base of Diet Cola Mountain. The racers dropped Rancis off near the entrance; a seemingly solid wall in the face of the mountain.

"It's inside. We'll all wait out here until you come out." Vanellope told him. "Don't go too crazy when you see her."

"What do you mean by that?" Rancis raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, nothing! Hurry up! She's not going to wait all day!"

Before Rancis could ask who "she" was, Vanellope shoved him through the wall. Inside, he saw that Diet Cola Mountain's interior had been transformed from an unfinished race course to a wondrous, elegant, ball room-like chamber that could put Crumbelina's extravagant mansion to shame. The walls were colored a spiral of pink, white, brown, & tan, and were ringed with lollipop shaped lamps. The soda hot spring was plugged up by a giant peanut butter cup, the top checkered in pink and tan.

Rancis walked to the middle in utter awe. What kind of surprise awaited him here?

"Rancis, Hi. I've been waiting for you."

Before him stood Taffyta Muttonfudge, dressed in a flowing gown of pink and white & a strawberry themed tiara.

"W-...Waiting for me?"

"Yeah. I know this is kinda weird, but I want you to dance with me."

"Dance?! But...I don't know how to dance."

"Me neither. But, who cares? No one's watching us, so let's just learn as we try." She reached her hand out to him. "How 'bout it, Peanut Puff?"

Rancis just couldn't refuse after hearing such a cute pet name. Upon grasping her hand, his normal outfit changed into a sharp, chocolate tuxedo with a peanut butter bow tie. Slow music played from nowhere as they waltzed & glided across the dance floor with such grace, they could have easily been mistaken for professional dancers. Rancis took the opportunity to do a few classy dance moves. He twirled her around, swept her off her feet, even dipped her. The two looked soulfully into each other's eyes, then nuzzled their heads together, both feeling such a strong feeling of completeness that neither could explain.

Soon, the music faded out, & the two tired kids laid side by side in the center of the room, watching the few clouds they could see through the crater in the mountain's Mentos stalactites roll by.

"That was so much fun." sighed Taffyta. "With you acting like such a gentleman, I felt like...like Crumbelina."

"Don't feel _too_ much like her; one stuck-up, posh princess-wannabe in this game is enough." remarked Rancis, making Taffyta laugh. "Besides, when you act like yourself, you're...almost as cool as me."

"Sure, that's why you always place behind me in every race, right?" she smirked sarcastically. Rancis looked away sheepishly.

Taffyta reached over to hold his hand. Rancis could feel his whole body trembling at her touch.

Only, it wasn't his body that was trembling.

The kids sat up confused. The whole mountain was shaking, the lights had gone out, & the sky above them was turning an ominously familiar shade of red. The kids shared worried glances. Suddenly, the chocolate beneath Taffyta gave way in an instant, & down she fell.

"Taffy!" Rancis peered into the hole, but saw a deep, black abyss instead of the soda hot springs. He then heard a strange buzzing sound rising from the hole growing in volume. He quickly jumped back, making way for a monstrous Cy-Bug to break through the floor. Rancis was horrified at the mere sight of the creature, but what truly made his heart sink was seeing Taffyta's tiara wedged between its metal mandibles. Not knowing what else to do, he hurried to the exit. Looking back, he was thankful to see the Cy-Bug too preoccupied with ravaging the room to pursue him.

Phasing through the glitched wall, he couldn't believe his eyes. Cy-Bugs had already swarmed the area, chasing down & devouring the screaming children. While Rancis stood in shock, the Cy-Bug from inside the mountain emerged and grabbed his arms, whisking him high into air. There, it regurgitated Taffyta in mid-air, allowing Rancis to watch her fall directly in the middle of the pack of ravenous, insectoid robots. Rancis felt his heart sink with her. He squeezed his eyes shut, unable to bear to watch what happened when Taffyta reached the ground. He wished he could use his arms to cover his ears, because Taffyta screams of terror & pain were utterly heartrending for the little driver to hear.

Afterward, the airborne Cy-Bug released Rancis, sending him plummeting towards the same fate as his fellow Sugar Rush racers. He covered his eyes & screamed in pure terror, wondering if this was truly the end for him & Sugar Rush...

* * *

Rancis shrieked as he finally awoke. He panted for a few moments, trying to make sure he was still alive. As he recalled the fear-filled later parts of his dream, his eyes welled with tears. He reached for his chocolate headpiece & nibbled on it, trying to give himself some comfort.

Although, thinking back, he realized it was the earlier parts of the dream that really confused him. Why was his victory surprise so strangely unusual? Judging from his personality, it should have been a giant statue of him holding the grand trophy in his honor or something like that. Why was it instead a slow dance with Taffyta? And why did he dream she wanted to dance with him when he had no dancing experience whatsoever?

"Calm down; I've just had a long day, that's all. I'm sure I'll be fine in the morning." However, when he laid his head back down, his alarm clock let him know that it was already a new day. He still felt a little drowsy, but knew he couldn't go back to sleep now, for the arcade would soon open.

"...Ugh. Another day, another series of races to lose to Vanellope." He stopped his alarm, changed into his normal outfit, & headed out to the Kit Kart. Trying his best to stay awake, he drove to the speedway, oddly craving something strawberry flavored to give him some energy.

**The next chapter is when the story's plot really proceeds. Rancis will get more in character as well.**


	5. Chapter 5: Finding out Why

**I know, I KNOW; It's been 2+ months since the last chapter. I'll explain why after this.**

**Chapter 5: Finding out Why**

Somehow, despite ramming into every peppermint tree on the way there, Rancis managed to maneuver the Kit Kart to the starting line of Sugar Rush Speedway.

"Hey, Rance!"A rosy-cheeked, pumpkin-capped boy holding a large piece of candy corn greeted him.

"S'up, Gloyd." Rancis greeted back.

"You're late! You almost missed opening time! What took ya?"

"I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Why not?"

"My fans kept me up all night singing my praises right outside my house." Rancis smirked.

"...No, they weren't. Fans need to sleep, too." Gloyd rolled his eyes, easily seeing through Rancis' lie.

"Yeah, but my fans are so adoring of me, they would stay awake for a week straight for my sake."

"Man, you stink at lying."

"I could name a couple of things you stink at, yourself. Like controlling your sweet tooth."

"Why am I friends with you, again?"

"'Cause you know I'm the best thing that ever happened to you?"

"If my life revolves around you, then I need to ask Vanellope to execute me." Gloyd snickered.

Rancis looked away, unable to accept that he just got told. "Oh, go bite your exhaust pipe, Orangeboar." He muttered under his breath, attempting to retain his dignity.

"Nah, I'll bite this instead." Gloyd shot back, getting another mouthful of candy corn. "By the way, do you know anything about the new ride Taffyta's got? She won't tell me." He gestured toward the pink racer behind him, whose unique kart was attracting many beholders.

"Never seen it before in my life." He replied bluntly, well aware that Taffyta would make sure he paid the price in pain if he blabbed about how she lost her old kart.

"Ah, well. Almost opening time! Good luck out there!" Gloyd stuffed his mouth with the remaining candy corn before hurrying to his kart.

Rancis took a sigh of relief. With that aside, he donned his racing helmet with a yawn. Drowsy or not, he was going to give it his all in the upcoming rush.

* * *

Eventually, the business hours of Litwak's Arcade came to a close. Upon Vanellope's request, the Random Roster Race, which usually commenced immediately after the arcade closed, was postponed for a few hours. Rancis knew exactly how he wanted to spend that time; getting some much needed sleep. He cruised to the side of the start line and, laying his head on the steering wheel, quickly started snoring while most of the other avatars cruised off for home.

Meanwhile, Taffyta was reflecting on the day's recent races while licking the usual lollipop until she noticed Rancis snoozing some distance away. She put on a sweet smile as she was just close enough to get a good glance at his adorable sleeping face. Rancis' assistance in creating the new and improved Pink Lightning and words of comfort & support for her bruised feelings the day before were still fresh on her mind. She would have to find some way to get even with him later.

"Hey, Muttonfails!" Vanellope's voice from behind her instantly snuffed out Taffyta's good mood. She resisted the urge to punch the president in the face as she turned around.

"For the last time, It's Mutton_fudge_!" Taffyta corrected in a huff.

"I know! I thought that rolled of the tongue better!" Vanellope laughed.

Taffyta squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fists tightly, barely keeping herself from lashing out at Vanellope with every ounce of anger, sadness & hurt in her heart in any way she could think of. Thinking about Rancis, she was able to calm down, but knew that she would reach her breaking point soon if this ignorance of her feelings continued. "Is there something important you wanted?"

Vanellope took a moment to compose herself, placing her hands in her hoodie pocket. "Yeah. Call me curious but, where'd you get the new set of wheels?" Vanellope motioned to the Pink Lightning Mk. II.

"None of your business." Taffyta retorted, crossing her arms.

"Oh, I don't think so. See, I'm the president; _your_ president, so yeah, it is my business."

Taffyta turned her head away. "The Kart Bakery, where else?"

"I see. What was wrong with your old one? Did you send it to the Junkyard 'cause you knew you'd never beat me?"

"NO! It slipped into a taffy pond!" Taffyta shouted defensively before she could stop herself, causing her to cover her mouth in shock over what she had just disclosed. Her built-up, tormented emotions had caused her to reveal the one thing she believed the president would never let her live down. Her eyes began to well up with tears.

"Hey, Taffya, are you alright?" Vanellope's face & voice actually expressed concern, but Taffyta was too blinded by her flooding tears & fear to notice. She started sobbing as she hopped in her kart & drove away at full speed, leaving behind a now confused Vanellope.

* * *

Some time later, Rancis slowly opened his eyes. With a yawn, he lifted his head & took a quick scan of his surroundings. The area was deserted...save for a figure sporting a warn grin and a frosting laced beanie right beside his kart.

"Enjoy your nap?" the figure spoke up.

Rancis rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "Candlehead? What are you still doing here?"

"Well, you fell asleep after the last race, and I didn't want you to be all alone when you woke up, so I waited here for you!" Candlehead replied jovially.

"Seriously? How long was I asleep?"

"About 2 hours."

"What?!" He dismounted his kart and faced her. "Two hours!? You really waited that long for me?"

Candlehead happily nodded.

"Thanks, but you didn't have to do that. I wouldn't mind if you left me alone." Rancis explained, trying to sound aloof.

"Don't be silly! I wanted to! That's what friends do!" Candlehead smiled, spontaneously wrapping the boy in a quick hug.

Rancis was a little embarrassed, though he was glad no one else was around to see him looking like a softie.

"Hold on, I've got something for you." He pulled the last two of Taffyta's lollipops from his jacket & offered one to Candlehead. "I got these from Taffyta. They helped me stay awake during the arcade races. She doesn't give these out to just anyone, so here; take it. Don't ask; I just feel generous."

Candlehead smiled from ear to ear, accepting the treat & popping it in her mouth. She then headed for her own kart, the Ice Screamer, and dipped the pop in its mint-green frosting, giving it a taste. Rancis could infer from her scrunched up facial expression that it was not a very tasty combination.

Rancis snickered seeing Candlehead's humorous face. "What a lovable idiot." He took a lick of his own lollipop, but detected something odd. The candy on a stick had a small but peculiar extra taste to it, different from the ones he had consumed during the arcade hours, prompting him to take a moment to study the flavor. His eyes went wide with astonishment when he realized what it was after recalling the previous day's events.

Just before giving them to him, Taffyta was sucking on one of them, which meant...

Taffyta's spit was still present on that particular lollipop, which meant...

Taffyta...had just given him an indirect kiss.

For a moment, Rancis just stood there frozen, his dumbfounded mind trying to digest the epiphany he just experienced. Afterward, he removed the lollipop from his mouth and stared at it as if it was a completely foreign object. _'That explains it.' _He thought, slowly putting everything together in his brain. _'That explains everything! The kindness towards her, the dreams about her; it all makes sense. I'm...in love with her...I'm seriously in love with her!'_ Soon, he began to chuckle, which steadily escalated into full-blown laughter.

Candlehead got curious as to what Rancis was laughing so much about & approached him. "What's so funny?"

"Candlehead, listen. You're not gonna believe this, but I just realized something big!"

"Uh, what?"

"You were right! I'm in love with Taffyta Muttonfudge!"

"...Really? I had no idea! Good for you!" She put on her usual grin, as if what she had just been told was everyday news.

That response got Rancis a little confused. She had no idea whatsoever about this? Wasn't it she who playfully teased him about having a crush on Taffyta yesterday? _'Same old Candlehead.'_ he thought, amused with her. Candlehead always knew just what to say to make him smile, even if she herself didn't know it. But that was something to admire another time; Rancis had just realized who the girl of his dreams was, & he was going to waste no time in telling her how he felt. He hurried excitedly into the Kit Kart.

_'Hang on, Taffy; here comes the answer to all your problems: ME!'_ He thought smugly to himself before roaring off, eager to surprise Taffyta with his confession as Candlehead waved goodbye.

**To be Continued**

**I know that I would have these typed up a lot faster if I didn't have such abysmal confidence in my ability to write filler text. Although, despite that, I can't help but think I did rather well in this chapter at least. Maybe I'm actually better at this than I'm giving myself credit for? What do you think?**

**About Rancis: Thanks to a few of you reviewers, I see that I've been depicting the little guy as a little too kind for his character lately, but I think I know why: Because of my inexperience as an author, I sometimes have trouble determining a balance between a character's multiple personality traits. What happened in this story was that I somewhat neglected to apply Rancis' egotistical side. Hopefully, I've managed to correct that in this chapter & future ones without making him seem vain to a fault in the process. ^_^**

**About Taffyta: I'm glad everyone likes how I portray her soft side! But for the sake of keeping it from becoming redundant, you won't be seeing that side of her again for a while.**

**Thanks to Painty Trancy, my younger sister, for beta-reading this chapter.**


End file.
